"In three days time, it will be Celestia's birthday." Princess Twilight said. "And while I know you're a very good party planner Pinkie Pie, this one is being left to Discord's discretion for personal reasons." She added.

"Does this have to do with wanting to test your student without her realizing it's a test?" Pinkie Pie asked. "Oh, and because you are sending Discord, you want the test to revolve around Celestia needing to help her friends in various ways." She added.

Princess Twilight gave off a heavy sigh. "As usual, you are correct." She said.

"Pinkie Pie, mind telling me just HOW you knew that?" Princess Sunset asked.

"Just a hunch." Pinkie Pie said. "Just like it's just a hunch that Discord's going to make the entire test a giant series of games." She added.

"Well, you never know with Discord. So how could you possibly know that?" Princess Sunset asked.

"Sunset, want to know something I've learnt over the years with Pinkie Pie?" Princess Twilight asked.

"There's a reason I'm being asked isn't there? Fine, what is it." Princess Sunset concluded.

"NEVER QUESTION PINKIE PIE!" Princess Twilight yelled out.

"...Fair enough..." Princess Sunset said.

It was the day of Celestia's birthday, but once she left the Golden Oak's library, she noticed that things around town were most certainly NOT normal.

"What the..." Celestia said before a mysterious creature she's never seen before appeared.

"Hello Celestia. You don't know me, but I defiantly know you. Your Princess Twilight's student and the element of Magic. Like what I've cooked up around Ponyville?" The creature said.

"Who are you?" Celestia asked.

"You may call me Discord, the master of all things Chaos. I've done some massive redecorating to Ponyville. If you want a chance to restore Ponyville to normal, then you're going to have to accept and play my game. Otherwise, Ponyville will remain this way forever." Discord said.

"I'll play your game, but when me and my friends get together, you are so going to be blasted with the elements once I tell Princess Twilight." Celestia said

"Oh that's part of the game: See, I've taken the elements from Princess Twilight's secret vault and locked each one behind a very specific task. Your goal of this game is to help your friends win back their elements from the things I've locked them behind. Once you've done that, the task that your specific elements is locked behind will appear. Once you've retrieved it, you can find me within the Everfree Forest which I'm going to transform to serve as your final challenge. Only by passing the final challenge with all six of your friends and the elements, will I uphold my end of the bargain and restore Ponyville to normal. And let me be frank with you: You need all six of your friends and all six of the elements to even attempt the final challenge. If even just one friend is missing or just one element is missing, then you won't be able to enter the renovated Eeverfree Forest and Ponyville will remain this way FOREVER!" Discord explained.

Celestia growled. "Me and my friends won't get separated; we'll beat the socks off you." She said.

"I look forward to playing with you very soon." Discord said before he vanished. A golden pathway soon appeared before Celestia. "Just follow the yellow brick road to reach each of your friends. Cross my heart, hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye the yellow brick road is not a trap; it's part of my game." Discord's voice echoed.

"...The buck? How does Discord know about that oath?" Celestia asked. She put it aside for now and followed the yellow brick road as instructed. Seeing as how Discord called out a very specific oath just now, she knew she could trust what he just said about the brick road not being a trap. The yellow brick road led her to Chiffon Swirls who was currently up against a giant cake monster.

"Celestia, thank goodness your here. My element came out of nowhere and got absorbed by one of Carrot Cake's cakes. Now it's a giant monster." Chiffon Swirls said.

"Go figure. But I doubt battling this thing is the answer." Celestia said. "Apparently some creature named Discord has turned getting our elements back into some kind of game." She explained.

"So, how do we get the element of laughter back?" Chiffon Swirls asked.

"...Wait a minute...Chiffon Swirls, tell me your best joke. Right now." Celestia said.

"Um...okay. Not sure where you're going with this, but I trust you." Chiffon Swirls said. "So, Celestia, do you know what kind of berry drinks a glass of juice?" She asked.

"Uh...not really, no." Celestia said.

"A Strawberry!" Chiffon Swirls said, and suddenly a rimshot sound effect played out of nowhere.

"...Where'd that come from?" Celestia asked. Suddenly the cake monster laughed itself quite literally to death as it laughed until it literally exploded, sending frosting everywhere. once it exploded, the element of laughter was left behind. "Wow...I was right. These monsters are part of the game. Their meant to test our very element. We have to get to the others. Grab your element and let's get to the next monster." Celestia said.

"How'd you get here with Ponyville messed up anyways?" Carrot Cake asked.

"Discord's set up some kind of pre-determined path for this game. And I'm at the center of it." Celestia said.

"I see. Tell me everything on the way to where-ever we're going next then." Chiffon Swirls said.

"Good luck to you both." Carrot Cake said as he watched the two mares leave. "...Something tells me all six of you are going to need all the luck you can afford." He added.

Meanwhile, Discord was watching Celestia through a crystal ball. "Interesting. She's discovered how to win at my game very easily. She's as every bit as smart as her teacher." Discord said. "What fun! I haven't had this much fun in one thousand years!" He added.

Celestia and Chiffon Swirls followed the yellow brick road where they found themselves under a cloudhome not too far from the general area of Ponyville. "I...never knew there was a cloud home here in Ponyville." Chiffon Swirls said.

"COULD REALLY USE SOME HELP HERE!" A familiar voice said.

"SPITFIRE!" Celestia said and used her magic to teleport her and Chiffon Swirls up to the Cloudhouse and then casted the Cloudwalking spell in the process.

"Oh hey you two. Mind lending a hand?" Spitfire said. This time the monster was a trophy monster.

"A trophy monster? Spitfire, what did you win a trophy in?" Chiffon Swirls said.

"Actually, this isn't even my house. Rainbow Dash needed someone to watch over her cloudhouse over the weakened because there was some emergency Wonderbolt business going on. She actually asked me if I wanted to volenteer for it, so wanting not to disappoint her, I said yes and just...forgot to tell anyone." Spitfire said.

"Yeah that sounds like you." Celestia said. "We're not upset, we understand. It's nice to know you were willing to do something like this. Really, we don't mind." She added.

"Well, can you help me get my element out of this trophy monster now?" Spitfire asked.

"Well we will need your help restoring Ponyville to normal once we do. Some creatue known as Discord has turned Ponyville into a complete mess and is dragging me and all of you girls into some kind of game. So if you don't mind helping us once we're don--" Celestia was saying.

"Ponyville's in danger?! I'm sure Rainbow Dash will understand. I'd never leave Ponyville hanging, let alone my friends." Spitfire said, flying over before Celestia could finish. Suddenly the trophy returned to normal after spitting out Spitfire's element. "...The buck just happened?" Spitfire asked.

"These monsters were created using our elements. Mine turned one of Mr. Cake's into a cake monster that wanted to hear a joke." Chiffon Swirls said.

"That's because that monster was the monster of laughter. And like I thought, that trophy monster was the monster of loyalty. As soon as you sided with us in helping ponyville, the monster was defeated." Celestia said.

"Huh. So, this is some kind of giant test for everyone. Am I the only one who thinks that Discord was sent by the Princesses to test our elements making sure we didn't stray fully from them?" Spitfire asked.

"The princess would've let me know ahead of time she was planning some kind of test. This is Princess Twilight; the same princess who basically plans EVERYTHING down to the letter; that we're talking about after all." Celestia said.

"...Fair point." Spitfire said. "So, whose next?" She asked.

"Let's get down and see." Celestia said.

"Yeah, for some reason Discord has created this mysterious Golden Brick Road for us to travel on." Chiffon Swirls said.

"...Someone has obviously watched Wizard of Oz." Spitfire said.

At Sweet Apple Acres, the group helped Buttercup with coming to the truth of who she is really to get her element. At Fluttershy's old cottage where Luna was currently at the group helped the sister of Celestia show the monster kidness. When they had gotten Cookie Crumbles to give one of her dresses to the monster at her shop, the golden brick road led them back to Golden Oak's Library where the group was confronted by a book monster.

"What does a book have to do with the element of magic?" Cookie Crumbles asked.

"...Wait..." Celestia said. "I think this is a test of friendship. I know which book this is: Beginner's Guide to Mending Friendships." She added.

"Then what? We just do a sleepover with it?" Spitfire asked.

"No. We need to show just how solid our friendship is to defeat it." Celestia said.

"Then what are you waiting for Celestia; try setting us up for a simulationus attack." Chiffon Swirls said.

"Not a bad idea. Cookie, you come next to me so we can cast a basic magic attack spell. Spitfire, Luna; you two get into the air and flank it from behind. Buttercup, Chiffon, you two grab a book to throw each and then go to the sides." Celestia said. The group followed Celestia's instructions. "Alright then, on three. One...two...three!" Celestia said. Right on three, the two earth ponies threw their books, the two pegasi rushed the monster from the air and the unicorns both used their horns to hit the monster with a spell each. However, this didn't seem to do anything.

"I don't get it. Based on the pattern, that should've worked." Luna said.

"We've gotta do something or ponyville is doomed!" Spitfire said.

"Anyone got any ideas on what though?" Luna asked.

"I hope whatever we try next does it, otherwise we'll never get past this obstacle." Chiffon Swirls said.

"We gotta be strong girls; we can't give up hope yet!" Buttercup said.

Celestia opened her mouth but then realized her friends were starting to argue with each other. Then her eyes lit up. "Wait! Everyone stop talking!" Celestia said before using a spell to contain the arguing ponies. "Look, we're friends right? We shouldn't be arguing with each other like this. We should be coming up with some kind of plan, because the longer we argue, the longer ponyville is going to remain looking like the way it is now. And we don't want that. That's something none of us want. So let's stop arguing and do this for Ponyville." Celestia said.

"She's right." Spitfire said.

"We were so focused on defeating the monster we forgot all about our friendship." Chiffon swirls said.

"Maybe that was the point all along? Get us to argue so we'd lose out on our friendship; strain it to the point of near breaking." Luna said.

"It's only now that we realize that huh?" Buttercup asked.

"Well I know that now no matter what this Discord tries to throw at us, we'll defaintly be ready to deal with it. No more fighting; let's focus on saving ponyville!" Cookie Crumbles said.

"That's the spirit girls!" Celestia said. Suddenly the book monster was crying itself to death before it spat out Celestia's element. "Hey! We did it!" Celestia said, grabbing her element. Suddenly Discord showed up, and...he too was crying.

"That...was so beautiful! Bravo, bravo! I honestly didn't think you'd pass that final obstacle. I honestly expected a different outcome, but you did it so beautifully and in a way I could never expect." Discord said.

"What are you talking about? Wasn't the final challenge in Everfree Forest?" Celestia asked.

"That was the original plan should things have turned out differently. But instead, you managed to stop the friendships the six of you have made with each other from falling off completely. And that was never something I expected. Such beauty, such direction, such friendship! What else can I say really? You've managed to win the game through a method even I; the being of chaos; could never have expected you to do so." Discord said. "Seems Princess Twilight chose the right student afterall. She will be proud to know that you aced the surprise test she had me concoct for you on your birthday with such flying colors. Now, I will be on my way. But first..." Discord said before turning Ponyville back to normal and vanishing. Leaving Celestia with her jaw on the floor.

"...So is this the part where I get to say I told you so, Celestia? Because I told you so." Spitfire said.

"SPITFIRE!" Everyone else suddenly yelled at her.

"Learn to read the room." Luna said.

"...Fair enough..." Spitfire said.

I'm surprised NO ONE got the obvious reference. Seriously, how did NO ONE get the Wizard of Oz reference I was making with the golden brick road being followed?

Cozy Glow was in Canterlot at a diner with Shining Armor; the two were actually on a date.

"Such a lovely day out today, isn't it?" Cozy Glow asked.

"Yeah. You can defiantly say that. Been a while since we've last had a good date like this one." Shining Armor said.

"Things on the front lines have been going so smoothly lately, that I haven't felt the need to be there. Honestly, I've gotten so good at figuring out how to best make treaties with all the other races so far that Equestria has little need for me to be on the front lines personally anymore." Cozy Glow said.

"The very fact that you haven't been needed on the front lines as much shows you're really doing your job and you're doing it well." Shining Armor said.

"Yeah. Problem is right now there's only one race Equestria is not in a treaty with right now and that's the dragons; Dragon Lord Torch has proven very difficult to get an audience with and in fact has denied each and every request to do so. What's more though, is that Dragon Lord Torch is getting old. It probably won't be long before he issues the Guantlet of Fire challenge. I've already suggested that Twilight let Spike go off to win it." Cozy Glow said.

"Well at least you have a plan in case you can't get an audiance with Torch. And we can most certainly trust Spike with the title of Dragon Lord." Shining Armor said.

"But in the meantime, I really have got to think about what I'm going to do for when that does happen. I certainly can't be the Warrior Princess anymore when Equestria has allies all across the globe more or less by now." Cozy Glow said.

"Knowing you, you'll think of something, and it'll be so very you, Cozy Glow." Shining Armor said. "Of that much, I really have no doubt about." He added.

"Thank you, Shining Armor. You really know how to compliment me when I really need it." Cozy Glow said.

"Exactly. That's why I've been working really hard lately so I'd have enough bits." Shining Armor said.

Cozy Glow tilted her head. "Enough bits? Enough bits for what exactly?" She asked. Suddenly Shining Armor got out a box and presented it to Cozy Glow.

"Been meaning to do this for a while now actually, but finally, it's time." Shining Armor said before opening the box, revealing a ring. "Cozy Glow, will you marry me?" He asked.

With tears in her eyes, Cozy Glow soon hugged Shining Armor out of pure happiness. "Yes! A million times yes! You can ask me a trillion times over, my answer will always be yes!" Cozy Glow said.

...

Meanwhile in the shadows, a mysterious black creature was spying on this.

"Queen Juline is going to want to know about this." The creature said to themselves before mysteriously vanishing into darkness.

DUN DUN DUN DUUUUUUUUUN!

My dearest student Celestia

I would like for you to accompany Spike to the Dragon Lands and yes, you may go with all your friends.

I have informed the current dragon lord Torch that you are there to witness the guantlet of fire and have set things up for you to view the entire thing.

What are you about to witness exactly? A challenge known as the Gauntlet of Fire. This challenge will cause whoever wins it to become the next dragon lord in three months' time and I'm hoping Spike wins it as there can be some dragons that wish to see us Ponies destroyed.

Your teacher, Princess Twilight Sparkle

"...You've got to be kidding me, all we do is watch and pray?" Spitfire asked.

"Pray for what?" Buttercup asked.

"Pray that the winner isn't a dragon that wants to kill us. Duh." Spitfire said.

"That's why I invited Sombra, actually." Celestia said. "His dark magic will be easy to sneak into this challenge to help tip the scales in Spike's favor if need be." She added.

"And how do you figure my Dark magic can sneakily do that?" Sombra asked.

"That's easy: You can use your magic to manipulate the course. I've seen you manipulate the environment with a tree before." Celestia said.

Sombra grinned. "I see what you're playing at. Just got to make sure to do it a couple of times to Spike too, just so it doesn't look obvious. I may not want to be killed, but we don't want the dragons calling foul just because Spike was the only one who wasn't getting the more difficult sections." The umbra pony stated.

"Fair enough." Celestia said.

The group of ponies were allowed to watch through the use of a giant orb. Which only made Sombra's job a lot easier.

For the most part, it didn't seem like many dragons were gunning for the position to kill ponies; in fact, most dragons seemed to not care that Ponies were going to be watching.

But there was one dragon that had spoken up the most about wanting to declare war on ponykind, wanting to kill all ponies.

And that dragon; ironically; had been the dragon lord's own daughter, Ember.

So, the group of ponies knew without a doubt that of all the dragons that were participating, Ember needed to be the LAST ONE POSSIBLE to get the Bloodstone Scepter; meaning she'd have to get the worst of Sombra's power.

And when it was revealed that the dragons were going to have to go through a volcano to get said scepter, Sombra could barely hold back the biggest grin ever.

It's like this very gauntlet was made to look like the things I could do to it were to look as naturally occurring as possible. I barely have to bend a hoof making things not look rigged. Sombra thought to himself.

Sombra was secretly making it look like the course was very perilous, but unfortunately for the ponies, while Spike was not having problems with the added difficulty, neither was Ember.

"This isn't good. Ember and Spike are basically neck and neck." Celestia said. Suddenly the entire earth began to shake. "Wait, what's going on now?" The white unicorn asked.

"Oh dear, I was worried about this." Torch said.

"What do you mean?" Spitfire asked.

"I was worried that the volcano might become unstable from all the dragons racing through the various areas of it." Torch said.

Sombra went wide eyed. I don't think the dragons have anything to do with that. Didn't think I would actually trigger a volcanic eruption with my tampering... The Umbra Hybrid thought to himself.

Things were so hectic that at one point, the orb was unable to give anymore feedback.

"Oh no. That's bad, right?" Buttercup asked.

"Unfortunately, yes, it is." Torch said. "Means the volcano is about to erupt." He added.

"Without a direct sight of what I'm using my magic on, I can't prevent the eruption." Sombra said.

"But we can see the volcano from here." Spitfire said.

"My magic only works so far from my line of sight." Sombra said.

"Huh.." Celestia noted. Soon the volcano erupted before them and then an orange dragoness was seen bringing an unconscious Spike and Ember to the whole group; Spike holding the Bloodstone Scepter.

"Smolder? Didn't think you'd participate." Torch said to the orange dragoness.

"Well you need to have some words with your daughter when she wakes up. She was willing to go to war with ponies. Which would've been all kinds of bad." Smolder said.

"Please tell me it really was Spike then who grabbed the Scepter. Because we couldn't see anything." Spitfire asked.

"Well, I'll tell you what I saw happen then..." Smolder said.

"YOU AIN'T WINNING ON MY WATCH PONY!" Ember had shouted at Spike.

"I'm not a pony, I'm a dragon." Spike said.

"Could've fooled me, considering you've lived your entire life with ponies. So to me, your just a pony, pony." Ember said.

"Well I ain't about to let you declare war on ponies, so I guess that makes us even." Spike said.

"Ha! I'll imprison you, then make you watch as I kill each and every last one of the ponies close to you. Only then will I make you join them." Ember said. The volcano started to erupt, and lava took the bloodstone scepter up up and away.

The two dragons quickly flew after the scepter, but the lava caught up with Ember first, injuring her to the point of unconciousness. It was catching up with Spike too, who was within reach of the Bloodstone Scepter, so in a last-ditch effort, Spike stretched out a claw towards the scepter...

"...And managed to grab it just before he too fell unconscious. I managed to grab them both before they became lost in the volcanic eruption." Smolder said.

"I see. Then I hereby declare Spike the new dragon lord." Torch said.

"Guess he's staying here then." Celestia said.

"Don't worry, I'm sure he'll find a way to communicate with the rest of you ponies. Speaking of you ponies though, I have a favor I need to ask of you." Smolder said before suddenly a small red dragon suddenly showed up.

"Big sis! Are you okay? Did you manage to prevent Ember from declaring war on those cute ponies?" The red dragon said.

"Well Spike managed to do so in my place, but there won't be any Pony VS. Dragon war going on all the same Gar Gar." Smolder said. "And you've come at just the right time. Ponies, this is my baby brother Garble. Garble, these are ponies from Equestria." She added.

"Wow...so many cute ponies! It's very nice to meet you." Garble said.

"Now, about that favor, would you mind taking my brother back with you to wherever you came from? My brother has always wanted to study Ponykind, and this will be the perfect opportunity for him to do so." Smolder said.

"Me? Go with them? OH CAN I? CAN I?!" Garble practically begged.

"Sure. He'll make an interesting addition to Ponyville." Celestia said.

"YAY!" Garble said before tackle hugging Celestia, knocking her over. "Oops, sorry." Garble said.

"Ha ha ha, it's fine." Celestia said.

Sometime later after the ponies left, Spike woke up in Smolder's cave. "Hey, look whose finally awake." Smolder said.

"I...I remember you. Smolder, how long has it been since we last saw each other?" Spike asked.

"Too long. But your staying here. Managed to convince Tourch you were the one that got the Bloodstone Scepter. Was really easy to do so too." Smolder said.

"...So...then only you and I will know the truth then huh? If you wanted to romance me, you could've just said so." Spike said.

"Yeah well...had to look out for Ember. But thanks to some quick thinking, she can't now." Smolder said.

"Heh...some things don't change with you, you know that?" Spike asked.

"You wouldn't have it any other way, now would you?" Smolder asked.

"Oh Tartarus no." Spike said.

...Turns out, Spike wasn't able to grab the scepter in time before he too lost conciousness. Smolder still rescued him and Ember though, and caught the scepter with her mouth which would've technically made her the new dragon lord, but because the rules of the challenge was it was the first one to grab it with their claws, using some fumbling, Smolder was able to get the unconscious Spike to touch the Bloodstone Scepter, making him the dragon lord officially yet unofficially at the same time.

Garble was on the train with all the visiting ponies. "Wow, I really can't wait to see Ponyville. I once heard it's the friendliest community that could ever exist." Garble said.

"Well...he's not wrong. Despite being the only half-umbra in existence, none of the ponies there have treated me or my wife any different." Sombra confirmed.

"Umbra? I thought all those dark horses were rumored to be dead?" Garble asked.

"Propogenda to be calling the Umbra 'dark horses' and obviously very misinformed. We've got a lot of history to go over." Sombra said.

Sometime later, the entire group returned to Ponyville.

"Huh...place looks more rural than I expected for the friendliest place community." Garble said.

"Ponyville is like that." Spitfire said. "Yet despite the rural community, just look how many ponies are here." She added.

"Yeah. You've got a fair point. I think I'm going to like it here." Garble said with a smile.

"Me and my wife sure don't regret moving here." Sombra said. "And speaking of my wife..." He added as he noticed Radiant Hope coming up to him.

"So, did things turn out well at the Gauntlet of Fire?" Radiant Hope asked.

"Everything turned out just the way we had hoped." Celestia pointed out.

"I'll fill you in on the details dear." Sombra said and went off with his wife.

"Wow...wasn't that a crystal pony? I thought they were just a myth." Garble said.

"Wait, you can tell she's a crystal pony?" Buttercup asked.

"And you can't just by looking at her?" Garble asked.

"Huh...interesting..." Celestia said.

Princess Sunset Shimmer was exploring canterlot castle, when she discovered an unmarked room. Nothing but a sign that said "Princess Twilight's Personal Study; do not enter".

"Why would Twilight feel the need to keep this room from me? I'm sure she wouldn't mind it if I went in." Sunset Shimmer said before entering. Inside, she found several things, a couple of filly toys packed away in boxes, quite a few photos, and a lone bed. But what Sunset found was a picture of Twilight with a seeminly Pegasus Stallion with the mare holding a unicorn filly with the pegasus stallion's coat and Twilight's mane color. "Wh-who are these ponies?" Sunset asked.

"Sunset?" Twilight was in the doorway. "...I was really hoping you wouldn't have found this place. Not until I was fully prepared to talk to you about it." She said.

Sunset sensed a great deal of sadness in Twilight's voice as the mare trotted over to the bed. "What is all this?" The orange alicorn asked.

"A memorial. The sign was meant to keep others out of here, but I guess it was only a matter of time before you found this place." Twilight said.

"Is there a reason you created this room? Who is the stallion and who is this fillly?" Sunset asked.

"...You ask who the stallion and filly are. You ask the wrong question." Twilight said. "The better question is, who were they." She added.

"Were? Wait...is this about that stallion and unicorn filly that were amongst the causalities from Discord's chaos when it was still going on?" Sunset asked.

"Yes. Before you Sunset, I had a husband and a child. Their names were Flash Sentry and Velvet Sentry." Twilight said. "We were going to be quite the family. But then, tragedy struck when I least expected it." She said. A tear ran down her face. "...Discord's chaotic creations were more unstable than I gave them credit for. It didn't just cost me my parents, but also my first love and child." Twilight said.

"You still have Shining Armor you know." Sunset said. "And I'm here now too. I can help you after all." She added.

"I know. It took me a long time to finally decide that I needed to move on, to find another. And you stood out the most Sunset. In some ways, you reminded me of Flash, but you were different then he was. I have a feeling that, if I had encountered you first, I doubt I would've ever gotten with him. You are much better with helping me with my emotions then Flash Sentry ever was." Twilight said.

"You sell me a bit short. I know I can be good at reading emotions, but I'm not that good." Sunset said. "You fell in love with Flash Sentry for a reason. Just as much as you fell in love with me." She added.

"You always know just what to say to me to make me feel better. Even now, that's one trait you share with Flash." Twilight said.

"So...these toys...were they for Velvet Sentry?" Sunset asked.

"Yes. I had even bought her the latest toy, which was going to be her present once Discord had been delt with." Twilight said. "...She never got to open the package." She added, turning her attention to a wrapped present; forever to be unopened.

"...You don't have to get rid of them all." Sunset said. "I've been working on a spell that could allow two mares to still have a child. I know I'm close to completing it." She added.

"Wh-what?!" Twilight was surprised to say the least. "When...when were you going to tell me about this?" The purple alicorn asked.

"I was hoping to actually complete the spell first but..." Sunset said. "Seeing this room...seeing what you've lost..." She added. "...If your willing to help me make that final push, then...I'm all for sharing my reserch." The orange alicorn said.

Twilight's eyes were filled with tears. "Nothing would make me happier Sunset." The Purple alicorn soon hugged her wife. "Thank you...thank you ever so much for this..." Twilight said with a smile on her face as happy tears fell down her cheeks.

Sunset smiled. "Hey...I'm your wife. If I didn't do something to ease your pain, I wouldn't be a very good wife now would I? At the very least, I can help you rebuild the family you lost. Even if it won't be the same family, for you Twilight, I would do anything." She explained as she hugged back.

"Your the best Sunset. Now I know for sure I made the right choice in marrying you." Twilight said.

Cozy Glow and Shining Armor had heard everything through the closed door before heading off. "Wow...guess even your sister has had her problems." Cozy Glow said.

"I didn't even know she had a lover before Princess Sunset Shimmer. But I knew that there was always some kind of history she was hiding from me whenever I brought up kids to her." Shining Armor said. "...Now I know why..." He added.

"Well, if it's any consolation, this means we really got to tell your sister about you-know-what." Cozy Glow said. "It'd just make her day on top of Sunset's spell." She added.

"Your going to pile on the good news? Why exactly would you do that?" Shining Armor asked.

"To answer that question, Shining Armor, let me first tell you a story. There once was a normal pegasus filly who had five friends. Years later, the pegasus filly didn't seem to age a day, yet she was forced to watch her first five friends die off. It made that filly become unable to make friends and start to lose herself until one day five years after Sunset had to be banished..." Cozy started. The Pink Alicorn would go on to tell Shining Armor everything.

Cozy Glow's full back story is featured in the "prequel" as it's final chapter.

When Cozy Glow finished her tale, she smiled at Shining Armor.

"...That story...it was about you." Shining Armor realized.

"Yeah. It was a long time ago, but I'm really glad Twilight chose to help me. For the longest time though, she wasn't sure what I could be the princess of, until I started going onto the front lines whenever outside forces tried to invade Equestria." Cozy Glow said.

"Which was when you started becoming known as the Warrior Princess." Shining Armor said.

"Mmmhmm." Cozy Glow said.

"Really going to miss Mi Amore Cadenza, AKA Cadence." Twilight said as she and Sunset were back in their own room where Chrysalis was staying.

"You've told me she was your foalsitter from long ago." Sunset said. "It's a shame she was amongst the causalities of Discord's shenanigans." She added.

"Wait...did you just mention Mi Amore Cadenza?" Chrysalis asked.

"Yes. Why, do you recognize that name, Chrysalis?" Twilight asked.

"Yes. She's my mother." Chrysalis stated.

"CADENCE IS YOUR WHAT?!" Twilight exclaimed; jaw dropped.

Yep. I just went there.